February 27, 2018 / Maria P. FongIn 1995, Yellowstone brought the wolves back to the park. After 70 years withoutwolves, the reintroduction caused unanticipated change in Yellowstone’s ecosystem and even its physical geography. The process of change startingfrom the top of the food chain and flowing through to the bottom is calledtrophic cascades. According toYellowstone National Park, here are a few ways the wolves have reshaped the park:Deer:It’s true that wolves kill deer, diminishing their population, but wolves also change the deer’s behavior. When threatened by wolves, deer don’t graze as much and move around more, aerating the soil.Grass and Trees:As a result of the deer’s changed eating habits, the grassy valleys regenerated. Trees in the park grew to as much as five times their previous height in only six years!Birds and Bears:These new and biggertrees provide a place for songbirds to live and grew berries for bears to eat. The healthier bear population then killed more elk, c...
